Aneta Gebala, Barbara Garanty-Bogacka, Monika Rac, MaÅgorzata Syrenicz, MieczysÅaw Walczak and Anhelli Syrenicz
Background: Obese individuals commonly demonstrate elevated levels of serum inflammatory markers and cell adhesion molecules. The later are known to be implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Increased physical activity has been shown to be effective in altering adipocytokines, and inflammatory markers; however, little is known about the effect of exercise training alone on these parameters in children and adolescents.
Aim: This study was designed to compare the effects of moderate-intensity training and caloric restriction on serum adipocytokines as well as markers of inflammation and cell adhesion in obese adolescents.
Material and methods: Fifty six obese adolescents, participating in an obesity intervention program, were
studied before and after 1 year program consisting of moderate physical activity (exercise group including 37 participants) or hypocaloric diet (diet group: 19 subjects). Highly sensitive C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein-4, adiponectin, intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 and vascular adhesion molecule-1 were measured before and after intervention. Body composition, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and insulin were also assessed.
Results: After 1 year, a significant reduction in all adiposity parameters were observed in both groups, but the changes were more prominent in the exercise group. Physical training was also favourable compared with hypocaloric diet in reducing serum markers of inflammation (P <0.009 for C-reactive protein; P<0.002 for interleukin-6) and cell adhesion (P<0.020 for intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1; P<0.000 for vascular adhesion molecule-1). In addition, exercise training induced a rise of adiponectin (P<0.000) and fall in fatty acid-binding protein-4 (P < 0.000), independent of weight loss.
Conclusions: We conclude that moderate-intensity training alone reduced blood markers of inflammation and cell adhesion in obese adolescents more than observed after caloric restriction. Exercise training was also associated with potentially favourably changes in serum adipocytokines.